Baberton

Baberton Golf Club is one of several great golf courses around Edinburgh, with the centre of the Scottish capital just six miles from the venue.

The two designers of the layout at Baberton have seven Open Championships between them, with Willie Park Jr and James Braid being the men behind the course.

It remains a high-quality parkland layout to this day, with plenty of sand traps and tricky greens that can catch you out. However, at just 6,000 yards, you can also score well!

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Torphin Hill was the location of a 9-hole course in the early 1890s, before the Baberton Golf Club was founded three years later.

Following the move to High Park, the great Willie Park Jr – twice a winner of the Open Championship – was drafted in to design a new 9-hole course. Park was then brought back less than a year later after more land had been acquired, extending the course to 18 holes.

James Braid – who lifted the Claret Jug on five occasions – offered plans for reconstruction in the mid-1920s, which were taken up by the club.

Ewen Murray, known for being the voice of Sky Sports’ golf coverage, learnt the game at Baberton. His father was the Head Professional at the club for several decades.

The golf course at Baberton sits on undulating terrain with fine views of the Pentland Hills to the south, the Ochil Hills and Forth Bridges to the north, and Edinburgh Castle. It is a parkland layout, one that only just pushes past 6,000 yards. It plays as a par 70, with a trio of par 5s and a quintet of par 3s. The short holes at Baberton offer a nice variation in length, with 100 yards between the longest and shortest.

The course begins with a gentle par 4, one of just 275 yards. However, don’t think about going for it off the first tee, as there is a local rule in place for the safety of the neighbours which says you cannot go for the green. It doesn’t mean that it isn’t a birdie chance, though, as a long iron and a wedge will be enough for most to give themselves a look at going under par after 1. The 2nd is the first of the three par 5s, and at more than 500 yards, it will be a three-shotter for must, especially as it usually plays into the prevailing wind. There are four bunkers in the landing zone for your tee shot on this slight dog-leg right par 5, with another two on the right of the green.

A pair of gentle par 4s follows, both of which are scoring chances. The 3rd has an S-shaped fairway, but the only bunkers are by the putting surface. Meanwhile, the 4th is only a touch over 300 yards, and there is some space down the right side as well off the tee. The 5th is the longest of the par 3s – 225 yards from the tips. Thankfully for the shorter hitters, there is fairway in front of the green, one that is protected by a pair of greenside bunkers and trees on two sides. The tee shot on 6 is played through a narrow chute of trees, before the hole opens out to a dog-leg left. The approach is slightly downhill, so take that into account for your second shot.

OOB runs down the right side of both 7 and 8, with the former being a 400-yard par 4. A solitary bunker on the left side of the fairway also adds to the danger off the tee. Trees encroach into the left side of the green, making it one of the tightest approaches on the course. At 190 yards, the 8th is the second of the short holes. The green is guarded by trees on its left and a large bunker on its right. Accuracy is key, with short of this green not being the worst miss. At just 315 yards, the 9th is another good scoring opportunity to bring the front side at Baberton to a close. A generous fairway is protected by just one fairway bunker on its left side, but stay short of that and you will still only have a low iron or wedge into this green.

The 10th features a split fairway, so make sure to stay short of the gap in the short grass. From there, it should still be a relatively easy approach shot to a green whose protection is all at the front. 11 is the second par 3 at Baberton of more than 200 yards. With four bunkers surrounding the green, and with most having to use at least a hybrid or fairway wood, this is no easy task. The Stroke Index 1 then follows, in this tricky part of the course. The 12th is a 475-yard par 4, with thick trees running down the right side for the majority of the hole. Find those and you’ll be taking a provisional off the tee. The ideal line is down the left side of the fairway, but the sole fairway bunker is in the way. Some will play this as a three-shotter, and with a shot in your pocket, why not?

13 is another tough test, despite being almost 100 yards shorter than its predecessor. The fairway gets incredibly narrow, the further down you hit your tee shot, so it might be worth hitting something less off the tee and leaving yourself with a longer approach to the green. The 14th is the shortest hole on the property at just 123 yards. This short par 3 is guarded by six greenside bunkers, which are dotted around the putting surface. You then come to back-to-back par 5s, in this run of holes where you score well. 15 is 525 yards, but usually plays with the prevailing wind at your back, so some might fancy their chances of reaching in two with a good drive. The 16th is shorter, at just 480 yards, and even as three-shotter.

The 17th is the last of the five par 3s at Baberton. It is 150 yards and played to a green protected by two bunkers and trees on its left side. You then come to the final challenge, the 410-yard par 4 18th. OOB is down the entirety of the right side, but there is plenty of space out to the left off the tee box. However, the approach might be blind, depending on where your tee shot comes to rest, and the large drop off to the left of the green is something to be avoided, for sure. It is a hole that is better for knowing, and you might find out to your demise on the last!

Where is Baberton Golf Club located?

Baberton Golf Club is located to the southwest of Scotland’s capital city, just off the A720 – the City of Edinburgh Bypass. It is in the borough of Baberton, with the centre of Edinburgh just over five miles away from the venue. The M8, which is the busiest motorway in Scotland, running from Edinburgh across to Glasgow, is just a couple of miles from Baberton.

Thanks to its proximity to the city, it is no surprise that Edinburgh Airport – the country’s biggest and busiest airport – is the closest to Baberton. It is just six miles from the golf club, and operates more flights than any other airport north of the border. Wester Hailes is the closest train station, around a mile away from the venue, with trains running between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central on a regular basis each day.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?

Two other venues in Edinburgh – Bruntsfield Links and The Musselburgh (Monktonhall) - are both within 15 miles of Baberton. Outside of that, the likes of Glenbervie to the west, and then Kilspindie, North Berwick, and the rest of East Lothian’s glorious golfing landscape are within 30 miles.

What golf facilities does Baberton Golf Club offer?

There is not a driving range at Baberton, but the club does have hitting nets to allow members and guests alike to warm up prior to taking to the course. There is also a short game area and a putting green for those crucial touches around the greens.

What are the green fees at Baberton Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Baberton Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Baberton, visit their booking website here.